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CH. VII.]

KOSSUTH AND HIS MOVEMENTS.

469

was really in his reach, and to give up all expectation of aid from the government of our country. Having had contributed towards the Hungarian cause about $100,000, Kossuth left the United States for England, in May, 1852.

The popular voice was loudly raised in his favor; the people every where listened to his impassioned appeals, with strong feelings of sympathy; 1851. he was received with public and civic honors in the cities and towns through which he passed; liberal subscriptions in money were made in support of the cause which he represented; and so far as the expression of general interest went in behalf of the struggling Hungarians, our countrymen seemed to be all in readiness to march at once to the aid of the oppressed and to set them free from the iron rule of Austria; but, as Kossuth was compelled to learn, these were the free and unrestrained outpourings of the people's sympathy and good-will; they were not indicative of the course which the government felt bound to pursue. However warmly, as individual citizens, the president and his advisers,* as well as the members of Congress, were moved to sympathize in behalf of Hungary and her efforts to gain her independence, they could not, as administering the government, take any part whatever in Kossuth's movements. The uniform policy of the United States has been, to form no "entangling alli-ganized gangs of desperadoes and vilances" with European states or people; and hence Kossuth was obliged to make the best use he could of what

* Mr. Hulsemann undertook to complain of Mr. Webster's having attended at a dinner given to Kossuth in Washington, and having also expressed his warm sympathy with Hungary in her struggles for liberty; and soon after left the United States. The secretary of state, in June, 1852, addressed a letter to Mr. M'Curdy, the American minister to Austria, in which he set forth rather fully the petulant and improper conduct of the bellicose Chevalier.

VOL. III-62

During the summer of 1851, state conventions were held, and measures were taken by the respective parties to influence the coming elections; the results in the autumn showed a considerable gain to the democratic side, but did not afford much indication as to the presidential struggle of the next year.* The journals of the day pointed out the alarming increase of crime, and attributed it, no doubt correctly, to the fact that a very large number of emigrants had come to our shores during the past year. The proportion of na tive offenders to those of foreign birth was not one-fifth; and the alms-house statistics presented a similar large increase of foreigners, which had been dispatched to the United States 1851 from England and Ireland principally. The accounts from California, however, threw every thing else into the shade. There, it became a war to the knife between the citizens and or

lains; and for a period anarchy prevailed, and the "committee of vigilance" took the law and the settlement of matters into their own hands.†

* The historian of the American navy, and a writer of great and varied powers, J. Fenimore Cooper, died on the 14th of September, 1851.

As a matter of curious interest, it may be mentioned here, that, from February, 1848, to May, 1852, eleven thousand nine hundred and fifty-three Chinese emigrants arrived at San Francisco; seven only of this number were women.

Early in August, a treaty was arranged and signed with the Sioux Indians, who agreed to cede to the United States twenty millions of acres in Minnesota, reserving to themselves a tract in Upper Minnesota, about a hundred by twenty miles in extent. They were to receive some $300,000 after their removal to their reservation, and an annual payment of $68,000 for the term of fifty years.

In October, the vessels under command of Lieutenant De Haven, of the navy, furnished by the munificence of Mr. Henry Grinnell, of New York, (p. 481,) to aid in the search for the missing Sir John Franklin, arrived in safety at New York. They had been gone a year and a half, and had earnestly prosecuted the object of their mission, but we regret to say, with no satisfactory result.* Dr. E. K. Kane, who accompanied the expedition as surgeon, was not willing to give up all hopes, and principally through his exertions and his noble spirit of courage and enthusiasm, a new expedition was afterwards set on foot to proceed to the Arctic regions. On a subsequent page we shall speak of the issue of this last undertaking.

In November, 1851, an unpleasant event occurred, which might have led to serious consequences between the United States and England. It appears, that the American steamer Prometheus, the property of the "American Atlantic and Pacific Ship Canal Company,"

* See "The U. S. Grinnell Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin." A Personal Narrative. By Elisha Kent Kane, M. D. New York, pp. 552, 8vo.

having on board some five hundred passengers, being about to leave the harbor of San Juan de Nicaragua, or Greytown, was boarded by a police force, and served with a process of attachment on the ship and captain, for certain charges claimed as port dues, which the captain refused to pay. Immediately upon this, the English brig of war Express, lying in the harbor, got under weigh, made sail for the steamer, and when within a quarter of a mile of her, fired a shot over her forecastle, and a few minutes afterwards, another over her stern, which passed in close proximity to the steamer. On being asked the cause of this remarkable course, the captain of the brig replied, that it was to protect the authorities of Greytown in their demands; that, if the steamer did not immedi ately anchor, he would fire a bombshell into her; and he ordered his guns to be loaded with grape and canister shot. The steamer then proceeded to the anchorage and anchored, the brig taking a place near by. The captain of the Prometheus paid the dues, under protest, and was allowed to proceed on his way. Happily for the good understanding of both parties, the British government promptly disavowed the proceeding of the commander of the Express, as an act of violence, and in direct contravention of existing treaty engagements.

The first session of the thirty-second Congress was commenced on the 1st of December, and Mr. Linn Boyd, of Ken tucky, was elected speaker. The president's message was received the next day, and presented a clear and detailed

CH. VII.]

DEATH OF HENRY CLAY.

account of public affairs. Mr. Fillmore avowed his determination to enforce the laws of the United States, in all cases, and not to allow of interference in the concerns of foreign nations, so as to endanger the peace of the 1851. country. The receipts into the treasury during the year, amounted to $52,312,979. The expenditures had been, $48,600,000. About $7,500,000 had been paid on account of the public debt, which, on the 20th of November, was $62,500,000. The estimated receipts for the next fiscal year, were, $51,800,000; and the estimated expenditures were, $43,000,000. Various important recommendations, on the subject of the tariff, internal improvements, protection of the frontiers, an agricultural bureau, etc., were urged upon Congress; and Mr. Fillmore again gave it as his settled opinion, that the compromise measures of 1850 ought to be adhered to by all good citizens.

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public honors heaped upon his memory by an affectionate and weeping country. His name is indelibly written upon the pages of his native land's history, and so long as the republic lasts, the warmhearted, the noble-spirited, the patriotic Henry Clay, will be held up to the admiration and love of our countrymen.

Certain difficulties having sprung up on the subject of the fisheries off the coast of British America, the president felt it his duty to take prompt measures to see that the rights of our hardy seamen, engaged in this branch of industry, were not infringed upon. The British foreign secretary, Sir John Pakington, gave certain directions to the naval forces on the station, which materially restricted the privileges heretofore enjoyed by our fishermen, and which it was held in the United States were in contravention of the terms of the treaty. The subject excited considerable discussion in the Senate, in July, and the president was called upon for the correspondence, papers, etc., relative to the whole matter. Mr. Webster's great and varied ability was employed on this subject, and a voluminous correspondence ensued, the re

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On the 17th of December, Henry Clay addressed a letter to the General Assembly of Kentucky, resigning his seat in the Senate, to take effect in September, 1852. His health was manifestly failing, and the aged servant of his country felt, that it was time to re-sult of which has been, the arranging a tire and prepare for the final event which could not be far distant. As in the case of Calhoun, he died at his post. A severe and protracted illness had resulted, as all perceived that it must result; and Henry Clay, with the devotion of a Christian, and trusting to the hopes and promises of the Gospel, peacefully expired on Tuesday, June 29th, 1852. It needs not here, that we should tell of the

1852.

reciprocity treaty with the British colonies in North America, (in 1854,) and a mutually satisfactory adjustment of the fishery question.

On the 1st of June, the democratic national convention assembled at Baltimore, to make choice of candidates for the presidency and vice-presidency. The names of General Cass, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Douglas, Mr. Marcy, and others, were before the convention; nearly three

hundred delegates were present; a vehemen; struggle ensued; the balloting was kept up for four days; which resulted finally, on the forty-ninth ballot, in the nomination of Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, and W. R. King, of Alabama, as the democratic candidates for the two highest offices in the gift of the people. A series of resolutions was adopted, denouncing all attempts at renewing the agitation of the slavery question, and setting forth the determination to "abide by, and adhere to, a faithful execution of the acts known as the compromise measures, settled by the last Congress, the act reclaiming fugitives from service or labor included."

at Pittsburg, in August, and had also several candidates; but with little divi-. sion of sentiment, they nominated John P. Hale, of New Hampshire, for presi dent, and George W. Julian, of Indiana, for vice-president.

Congress, after an unusually long session, adjourned on the 31st of August. On the day before the adjourn ment, Mr. Mason, of Virginia, in the Senate, made a report on the subject of the Garay grant, for the right of way across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. This grant was made to Don José de Garay, in March, 1842, by Santa Anna, and confirmed, at different times, by others in authority. Garay sold out his right, in 1846, to two Englishmen ; and the grant, in 1848, was assigned to Mr. Hargous, a citizen of the United States. Work was commenced on the route across the isthmus; but the Mexican government forbad further steps, in 1851. The question now was, what course ought the United States to pursue; and the report went into the question very fully. Senator Benton, in 1852, wrote a letter, reviewing this subject, and condemning any action on the part of the government in favor of enforcing this grant. The letter is well worth reading.

On the 16th of June, the delegates of the whig national convention met in Baltimore, to the number of some three hundred. Beside the name of Mr. Fillmore, there were those of General Scott and Daniel Webster before the members of the convention; and no wonder it was hard to select the man whom the party and the country would most fully approve. Resolutions defining the views of the whig party on the various great questions at issue, assenting entirely to the compromise measures, including the fugitive slave law, and deprecating all renewal of agi- A considerable amount of public tation on this latter topic, were business was transacted during the sesadopted by a large vote; and sion, the more important of which we the balloting began. On the fifty-third have already indicated. Other acts of ballot, General Winfield Scott, was the session were, the voting an amendnominated for president; and William ment to the deficiency bill, making an A. Graham, of North Carolina, was additional appropriation of $25,000 for placed on the same ticket for vice-pres- each trip to the Collins's line of steamident. ers; considerably reducing the rates "The free-soilers" held a convention of postage on printed matter; making

1852.

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